JBS Souderton, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.1

Livestock Humane Handling HATS category VII slips and falls: On 7/26/2022 at approximately 0721hours while conducting antemortem inspection in the barn on a pen of 35 steers and heifers, I CSI (REDACTED) observed the following Humane Handling noncompliance for HATS category VII slips and falls. Specifically, I observed 12 animals slipping and falling to either knees or their side as the moved around the antemortem corner. One animal fell to its side and was stepped on by the animal behind it, without vocalization, the animal arose uninjured and was ambulatory.  There was no employee driving the animals in near proximity as he was retrieving more animals from the pen at the other end of the barn. The bedding around the corner of the drive alley was pushed away exposing bare slippery concrete.   I took regulatory control rejecting the affected area and notified REDACTED (Barn Supervisor) of the rejection and noncompliance. The establishment failed to comply with the regulations prescribed within 9CFR313.1(b) “floors of livestock pens and driveways shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide good footing for livestock.” Corrective actions proffered were to add packed bedding to the corner to provide better footing. Corrective actions pending.

313.2

HATS Category 2: Truck Unloading Date: 10/29/2021 Time: 09:25 AM Location: Barn-Unloading alleyway, truck Description: I (Dr. REDACTED) was observing truck unloading as a part of the Humane Handling task. I observed a non-ambulatory animal on the truck. I observed the trucker who was unloading the animals, kneeing and kicking the non-ambulatory animal multiple times. I instructed the driver to stop, and he complied. I did not hear the animal vocalizing or see it showing signs of discomfort at any time. Establishment employees then knocked the non-ambulatory animal on the truck and then pulled the animal out. I notified my observation to Ms. REDACTED - Barn Supervisor, REDACTED – Food Safety Superintendent and REDACTED – Kill floor Manager and informed them that there would be a noncompliance report. There were 1 dead and 2 more non-ambulatory animals on the truck. Establishment employees knocked those animals and pulled them out. The rest of the animals unloaded without any problem. Mr. REDACTED – Food Safety Superintendent stated that they will talk to the owner of the truck and do further training with him. This is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2 (d)

313.2

HATS Category: 3 – Water and Feed Availability Date: 10/20/21 Time: 0920 hours Location: Barn, Pen #11 Description: I (REDACTED) observed 2 steers in Pen #11, 1 of them was drinking from the water bowl available to them in the Pen. Upon closer inspection of the water bowl, I discovered that it was a tint of blue. I placed a US Rejected tag on the water bowl, alerted a nearby employee and requested the presence of Ms. REDACTED - Barn Supervisor. Upon further investigation of the source, I was informed and shown that the blue substance was denaturant. Its source was a wooden floorboard above the pen that had denaturant spilled on it previously. When the floorboard gets wet during the course of operations, the dripping blue water falls onto the pipes and area below to include the Pen water bowl. This was visibly seen when speaking to the Barn Supervisor. Due to the contaminated water, the establishment did not have drinkable water available in Pen #11 for its 2 steers to drink. Ms. REDACTED – Barn Supervisor had an establishment employee conduct corrective actions to restore Pen #11 and its water bowl to sanitary conditions. The 2 steers located in the pen were moved to the adjacent Pen #12 where clean water was located. I (REDACTED) placed U.S. Rejected Tag #B-45088997 on Pen #11 and its water bowl. The US Rejected tag remained on the Pen due source of the denaturant still remaining in place (contaminated floorboard above). This is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2 (e)